Sign up for afaqs! Newsletters
The two channels have launched initiatives that help them engage their respective TGs with their titles, and thereby, the channels
Movies and music go hand in hand. While it is particularly true of Hindi films, two movie channels -- an English one and the other showcasing world cinema -- have also launched consumer engagement programmes revolving around music concerts.
UTV World Movies started out with a one-off event, which has now become a monthly property, called Music and Movie Nights. Here, the channel screens a movie from its collection of 650 titles, followed by a music concert. The channel recently hosted three such nights in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, with gigs from bands like Shaa'ir and Func's, FIVE8 and Parachute XVI, respectively, preceded by the Spanish film, Queens.
Pix, on the other hand, does not have a regular property. Music is not always a part of the channel's plan, but every month, it premieres a new title for the Indian viewers; and indulges in heavy promotions across television, outdoor, radio and below-the-line for that.
"This strategy", says Himmat Butalia, head of marketing, Pix, "helps us to not only hike the TRPs for the day that the new title is showcased, but also on a larger perspective, such initiatives build the brand in the eyes of our targeted viewers. Every month, we come out with some new, interesting promotion, which helps in creating the buzz on the movie."
For instance, for this month, Pix has bagged the rights to air August Rush. And as per the strategy, the channel decided to go big on the promotions, which included holding rock concerts -- aptly titled August Rush Concert -- in three metros on August 26.
Apart from investing heavily in outdoor and radio, Pix decided to hold the concerts in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru -- at three "happening" locations. The idea was inspired by the plot of the movie, which revolves around the journey of a music prodigy to reunite with his parents.
Butalia and Ganapathy explain that the venues are carefully chosen, as the channels wanted to hold the concerts at those places which attract the TG for their respective channels.
"It's not only the venues, but the day has also been chosen keeping in mind that Wednesday is the media nights for most of these places -- the day when footfalls are generally high," says Butalia.
As for taking the BTL route, Butalia says that though the medium turns out to be a bit expensive, the returns, most of which are measurable, are better. It also works well in starting a word-of-mouth campaign. "If we engage 100 people through such direct initiatives, those 100 people go out and speak to the next 400 people on the concept. This kind of promotion gets higher probable viewers for the movies, and eventually, for the channel," he shares.
Ganapathy agrees, when he says that the medium helps to acquaint more and more viewers with the genre, by giving them an exposure in an entertaining manner.